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You have more than you could ask for, yet you are depressed.

Your father stayed around for you, They are putting you through one of the best schools next to Princeton, You have amazing friendsYou had an amazing girlfriend, who would have bought you the world if she could. But you insisted that you would be happier away from all of this... To travel.Where would you get that money to travel, because it would not poof into your hands.You are a creative person, and without that education, it would be all wasted. Your story ideas are nice, but you'd drop all of that.... to travel...?Sure, traveling is nice. I'd do it tooBut you have so much going for you, but you'd want to throw that all away. ... to travel.Because you feel it would make you happy.

Look at what is in your life. So many thing.... You have an opportunity to do amazing things. So many people by your side. To me, it shows that you are not looking at the big picture. And that annoys me. Your mind set is somewhere else. It should be where you can see all of what you have. All the amazing things you have and could obtain. Your accomplishments! I'd try and stand back for a second and actually LOOK at everything. Don't be dumb.

I wish I can have the ability to travel like him. Going to places that I have never been to before will actually be more relieving to me than stressing. I don't see why that is such a big deal to you, and how exactly is him traveling mean "throwing everything away"?

Boo hoo somebody isn't happy with the things that you believe will make you happy. So sorry that somebody doesn't like the same things you do or has different things that make them happy than what makes you happy. Didn't know everybody had to conform to your beliefs, ideals, and values.

Grow up. Stop being a jealous prick and let this person travel if it makes them happy.

You could say I have a pretty good life, too. I come from a well-off family with two parents and three sisters, I'm going to one of the best music schools on the west coast, I have pretty good friends, etc. But all of that doesn't matter because of the way my brain works. I have high anxiety, which makes it hard for me to do a lot of things, like make friends, do homework, check my email, it's even hard for me to be assertive, so it's hard for me to deal with people who don't agree with me. I also suffer from depression, which just prevents me from being happy sometimes, even when there's no reason not to be upset.

Actually, traveling is fun and will teach you a lot more than what you can learn in school. For example, people who live in a certain country for a while can learn its language a lot faster than if they went the traditional route. Not to mention a ton of tourist fun facts.

And everyone has their own pacing. Besides, he can do what he wants to do, and there's nothing you can really do about it since it's his life and not yours.

Once upon a time, there was a wealthy man in a small village. He was young, handsome, kind, slow to anger, not a man of revenge, gave sincere compliments to everyone, and seemed full of wisdom. Every morning, he would come out of his house with a bright and cheery mood, even in the gloomiest of weathers. He would always bid a good morning to the baker, play hide and go seek with the children, he would tip generously for lunch, would always listen to his employees, would have quite a few rounds with the guys at the bar, and politely flirted with the ladies. He was the perfect father figure, the perfect friend to have, the perfect husband to try. And every night, the man would retire to his cozy home, looking over the village with a magnificant view.

One morning, the man did not leave his house. He did not bid the baker a good morning. He did not play with the children. He did not tip for a lunch. He did not listen to his employees. He did not have a few drinks. He did not compliment any woman. When a neighbor came to check on them, they only found that the man had hung himself in his room, a note saying of how miserable his life was.

Why shouldn't he be happy? If travelling makes him happy I say go for it. It's not your business to decide what is proper for him to do. You aren't living his life, so you don't know if those things you've listed make him truly happy or fulfilled. If he's willing to take on the challenges of travelling, then he should do it.

Wow, someone wants to live a different life than your social standards. That reaally sucks, man. People with higher that average social status can never be allowed to have dreams, feel bad about their life, god forbid be depressed. Because you absolutely know all their reasons for their problems. Because your definition of "failure" is ultimate.

You're just another judgemental ass, thinking you can have control over people's life. Or you have the right to judge. You hurt everyone by enforcing mainsteam social life ideas.

Oh, and you try to sound dramatic about it, that just kills the purpose of the whole thing. You can give advice, but never this way. And don't tell me you're not stepping in, you are stepping in by being what you are, saying what you say. Trust me, no-one wants friends like that.

How is seeing the world equate to throwing everything away? I'm very confused at OP's sentiment...

o_0 I thought it was considered healthy to want to travel and see the world? In fact I keep being told it's advantageous? In fact I kinda feel odd due to the fact I DON'T WANT nor plan to travel...

Why would you not give this person your blessing? If you won't I will!

@Dude the OP is talking about; Enjoy your gap year bro (I assume that's what it is), I'm not a traveler more of a home body, but I hear good things from those that have toured Europe (people that live there however say other things).

Not replying to me in those instances not only proves that you disagree with other people trying to force their own ideals onto others, but also that you're a spineless coward who probably spent an hour crying after he read it.

No, I ignore rude and hateful comments when there is no need for them. It is funny how you tell me that I'm am extremely ignorant for a 19-year-old, but you continue to insult me with rude names and comments, like you are any better.

I guess you did have a reason for your actions. As I had a reason for mine. But.. I kind of enjoyed the way you did that. Even though it was a little much But in a way, I'm glad you did it. I should not dish out what I cannot take, in that regard, I thank you and apologize.

Don't apologize to me, I don't care what you do. You need to apologize to your friend and be a decent human being and support him.If he falls, then be there to help him up. That's what a friend does - unless his decisions could result in obvious death, you God damn support them.

Lots of people choose to travel before studying a career. It helps focus the mind, be more mature for when you enter college, etc. It's a great decision.

Forcing someone to decide what to do for the rest of their lives when they're barely out of high school is nearly macabre, tons of students pick stuff at random or with doubts and end up unhappy with their degrees, in unhappy jobs, with unhappy lives - it's not like they can study something else afterwards, because they need to work to pay the debt of the previous career.

College is a giant ball chained to your feet, unless you're 100% sure you want it, it'll make you miserable.

You are really right. But, I am afraid to speak with him because he may still think I'm some sort of asshole who is out to ruin his life... My help was nothing by hurt for him, and I feel like if I give it again, I might hurt him worse. He has gotten upset with me too many times, and if I fail one more time with him, I might really destroy his trust. I'd rather not do that. He's a good person. I think I will let him figure out what he wants more and not step in. I've stepped in too much, and I've hurt him every time I have.. And I know just stepping back is a bad idea too, because he may really need an understanding person one day.

I'm sure you have seen my other posts. He was forced into college by his mother. He knew he was not ready, and his father knew, but his mom said otherwise. I feel bad for him that he did not have that choice.

when did i say that depression can only hit certain people?I just don't see why anyone that isn't starving and alone should be so unhappy. if you're unhappy with your life and have the resources to change it then you should do so, not wallow in it for months. It's not healthy

i understand that but most people cause their own depression by taking all the good things that have happened to them for granted and not realizing how lucky they are to be alive and be able experience all the greatness of the world. It could be much worse for them but they inflate all of their problems instead of nurturing positive experience.

Depression is caused by bad things happening to you AND the imbalance of hormones in your brain. Have you ever felt sad? Think about feeling like that but for a very long time. You have the happy moments. But you will always feel sad no matter what.

"most people cause their own depression by taking all the good things that have happened to them for granted and not realizing how lucky they are to be alive and be able experience all the greatness of the world."

Say that to my closest friend, ~bricksasuke002's face on her profile. I dare you. If you think that all depression is just purposely being an unhappy emo kid 100% of the time, then you really do need some research.

Me and my mother both suffer depression and we have loads of good things happen to us- we still enjoy life and live it to the full but at the same time we find it hard to keep things positive. I appreciate the things done for me by friends and family, heck, I love it when people do things for me, and so I don't take it for granted.

I am aware I am lucky to be alive but at the same time I don't enjoy the fact that I am alive... yet I don't want to commit suicide because I know there will eventually be something to live for.

To understand depression, first have it yourself.It isn't just being sad, or taking things for granted.

You cannot know how depression is started, or how it feels until you experience it yourself. I'm currently depressed stemming from an inferiority complex due to dropping out of college, as my therapist says. It's not something that you can just "snap out" of. it takes months of work.

I have a mind to call you a lot of things but I'm just going to keep it simple and call you ignorant. Depression is not always a fixable condition. It is never something somebody can just turn off or get rid of. Even those who are not clinically depressed cannot simple go "Oh I have a good life, depression is gone! Yay!"

The fact that you think depression is simply a bout of pessimism is completely ignorant of you. I advise you to not make a mockery of my friend who has almost killed herself twice and several of my other friends who suffer from depression. Thank you.

No, you don't. You just said you don't."I just don't see why anyone that isn't starving and alone should be so unhappy."

Why does someone need to be starving and alone be permitted to be unhappy? There are people born without legs, poor and no family yet they can be the most happiest people around. But that is because you do not want to live their ways and perceive it as miserable. I'm sure they'd be glad to prove you wrong. You are not living their lives and you cannot control their emotions.

People who live "great" lives don't always know how lucky they are but that does not mean they should be pushed aside and be ignored because they have things for granted.